Beaulieu: Terence O’Rourke given go-ahead for New Forest development

Award-winning planning and design consultancy Terence O'Rourke has won planning permission for Greenclose Hotels to convert a listed traditional barn in the grounds of the historical The Montagu Arms hotel in Beaulieu into two stylish guest suites. 

Each new suite will be sympathetically designed to keep the character of the building, incorporating the original roof rafters and offering spacious accommodation with luxury bathrooms, living and sleeping areas.

The new luxury accommodation is due to be opened next year. This will expand the accommodation to 24 rooms at the hotel which was built in the 17^th century. The venue combines the charm and exemplary service of a country house hotel with gourmet dining at the acclaimed Terrace Restaurant.

Bridget Pearce, special projects director at London-based Terence O’Rourke, commented: “We are delighted that our proposals for the conversion of the Grade-Two listed barn at The Montagu Arms Hotel in Beaulieu have been accepted.

“Given the hotel’s location within the Beaulieu village conservation area and the New Forest National Park, a sensitive approach was required. Using a more gentle, low-key conversion scheme we were able to achieve both planning permission and listed building consent for the hotel’s owners.

“The addition of these suites will not only allow new life to be breathed into the listed barn but will ensure that the hotel continues to play an important role in the provision of luxury guest accommodation in the New Forest, adding further to the significant economic benefits that the tourism sector brings to the local area.”

James Hiley-Jones, operations director for Greenclose Hotels which owns The Montagu Arms, said: “Greenclose Hotels has worked with Terence O’Rourke for many years, and finds the advice from the whole team to be excellent. This most recent project has seen Terence O’Rourke assist us with the challenging conversion of the historic building and enable us to develop exactly the right scheme to satisfy the planning committee from start until finish.”